Mississippi Grants

This grant provides funding to organizations and projects that enhance Vicksburg's appeal as a tourist destination, supporting local initiatives that promote tourism and boost the economy.

This grant provides financial support to Southern writers and independent publishers for literary projects that celebrate the region's unique traditions and voices.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in the Mississippi Delta that are working to improve maternal and infant health outcomes and promote child development for children from birth to age three.

This funding initiative provides financial support to graduate students conducting herpetological research focused on the conservation and management of reptiles and amphibians in the southeastern United States.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in the Gulf South to promote affordable housing and community resilience in underserved areas through initiatives like first-time homebuyer assistance and disaster preparedness.

This grant provides funding for nonprofit organizations to collaborate on improving oral health care access for seniors in underserved communities across select Southern states.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in select states to support projects that celebrate and promote cultural diversity and community engagement.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that develop innovative resources and services to help adults in the middle or late stages of their careers with reskilling, upskilling, and career navigation, particularly those who are unemployed or underemployed.

This program provides funding to Gulf Coast state governments to establish research centers that promote ecological restoration and sustainable economic growth in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

This funding program provides financial support to community-based organizations that empower youth aged 12 to 20 through established, youth-led urban greening initiatives focused on social and environmental justice in select states.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state and county governments in the Gulf Coast region for construction and real property acquisition projects that enhance environmental restoration, economic revitalization, and infrastructure improvements following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

This grant provides funding to state and county governments in the Gulf Coast region for non-construction activities that restore natural resources, promote tourism, and support economic growth following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

This grant provides funding for rural classroom teachers in selected states to develop and implement Place-Based Education projects in their schools.

This program provides a pitch competition and investor introductions for women and founders of color in the U.S. with scalable startups that have a minimum viable product and some customer traction, specifically targeting those outside major startup hubs.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that deliver high-quality early childhood education and family services to low-income children and families across multiple states in the U.S.

VisitHATTIESBURG’s Tourism Grant Program (TGP) is an annual initiative designed to bolster visitor and tourism promotion efforts within Hattiesburg. The program's core mission aligns with increasing overnight travel to the city, thereby generating economic stimulus. It achieves this by providing funds for marketing and other qualified expenses to projects and events that directly fulfill VisitHATTIESBURG’s broader objective of promoting Hattiesburg as a vibrant tourist destination. The TGP targets a diverse group of beneficiaries including attractions, associations, organizations, and governmental agencies whose primary objective is to promote Hattiesburg’s tourism industry to out-of-town visitors. The program specifically seeks to attract a target audience from outside the immediate Hattiesburg area, defined as over a 50-mile radius or out-of-state. The ultimate impact goal is to drive overnight stays and foster economic growth within the city through increased tourism. The program prioritizes projects and events held within Hattiesburg that fall into specific categories: Festival/Event, Attraction/Public Use Facility (including museums, historical buildings, meeting spaces, and sporting facilities), and other organizations/associations focused on promoting tourism. TGP funds can be utilized for a variety of expenses, such as traditional and digital advertising, brochures, signage, event/exhibit production, and marketing activities. Disallowable expenses include general operating costs, administrative expenses, and personal benefits, ensuring funds are directly applied to tourism promotion. Expected outcomes of the TGP include an increase in the number of out-of-town visitors, leading to a rise in overnight stays and subsequent economic benefits for Hattiesburg's local lodging, dining, shopping, and attractions. Measurable results are implicitly tied to the requirement for financial record-keeping for three years and the stipulation that individual grants cannot exceed $5,000 per fiscal year. Projects are also expected to comply with all applicable laws and regulations and feature VisitHATTIESBURG branding on all collateral. While the document does not explicitly detail a "theory of change," VisitHATTIESBURG's strategic priority is clearly to position Hattiesburg as a premier tourist destination. The TGP acts as a key mechanism in this strategy by financially supporting local entities that actively promote the city to external audiences. This approach is based on the premise that direct investment in targeted promotional activities by local stakeholders will directly translate into increased visitor numbers and economic prosperity. In alignment with its strategic priorities, VisitHATTIESBURG mandates specific requirements for grant recipients to ensure program effectiveness and accountability. These include the project's primary location within Hattiesburg, promotion of the city as a destination, compliance with regulations, meticulous financial record-keeping, mandatory inclusion of VisitHATTIESBURG branding, and, where applicable, providing a sponsorship equivalent to the awarded funds. These guidelines serve to maximize the program's reach and ensure that the grant funding directly contributes to the overarching goal of tourism development.

The Yazoo County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) offers a Tourism Grant program aimed at increasing tourism-related offerings and visitor numbers in Yazoo County. This initiative directly aligns with the CVB's mission to promote tourism, which in turn fosters economic growth for all local businesses. The grant program is designed to support organizations that contribute to these goals, offering both financial reimbursement and expert guidance to ensure the success and growth of events, sites, attractions, or projects that enhance the county's tourism appeal. The CVB's strategic priority is to leverage grant funding to create a measurable increase in visitor traffic and the quality of tourism experiences. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are organizations within Yazoo County that are involved in promoting tourism or preserving tourism-related sites. The impact goals are to significantly boost visitor traffic to Yazoo County and to enrich the quality and diversity of tourism offerings. The CVB offers two main types of grants to achieve these goals: Advertising & Promotion and Historical/Cultural Enhancement. The Advertising & Promotion grant focuses on attracting visitors from outside the immediate area (over a 100-mile radius or out-of-state) through paid advertising and public relations efforts. The Historical/Cultural Enhancement grant is dedicated to the repair and improvement of tourism or tourism-related sites and the placement of historical and/or cultural markers, such as Blues or Freedom Trail markers. The priorities and focuses of the grant program are clearly defined. For Advertising & Promotion, the emphasis is on external marketing, requiring organizations to purchase ads in various media, create brochures, and develop PR kits. Entertainment, labor, and clothing items are explicitly excluded. For Historical/Cultural Enhancement, the focus is on physical improvements to sites and historical preservation through markers, specifically excluding "bricks and mortar projects," salaries, or operating expenses. Priority is given to projects that demonstrate additional funding from other sources, indicating a strategic approach to maximizing the impact of the CVB's contributions and ensuring broader community and financial support. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in visitor numbers and an enhancement of Yazoo County's tourism infrastructure and attractions. Organizations receiving grants are expected to contribute to these outcomes, with requirements such as recognizing the CVB as a sponsor in all advertising and submitting proofs for approval. The program's theory of change posits that by investing in targeted advertising and the improvement of tourism assets, Yazoo County will become a more attractive destination, leading to greater visitor engagement and economic benefits for the entire community. Measurable results are derived from these efforts, with final reports and reimbursement requests required within 60 days of project completion, ensuring accountability and tracking of project success in relation to the CVB's tourism goals.

This program provides funding for K-12 schools in the TVA service area to implement innovative STEM projects that enhance student learning and career readiness through community collaboration.

The Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) is offering its 2024 Infrastructure Grant Program, which aligns with its mission to support the viability and sustainability of historically underserved farmers and ranchers. This program aims to foster projects that enhance farm viability, create new markets for local agricultural products and services, develop innovative uses for existing farm infrastructure, add value to farm products through processing, packaging, or marketing, and optimize the use of on-farm and natural resources. Additionally, the grant supports cultural and heritage projects dedicated to preserving and continuing specific agrarian traditions, reflecting RAFI's broader commitment to a resilient and equitable food system. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are historically underserved farmers and ranchers, as defined by NRCS, who are in at least their fourth full growing season and have operated their current farm for at least two years. The program specifically targets "livelihood" farmers and ranchers who depend on agriculture for their financial support or are pursuing a long-term career in farming. Eligibility extends to individual farmer owners/co-owners or farm cooperatives, provided at least 50% of the cooperative members meet the individual eligibility criteria. The grants range from $1,000 to $10,000 and are available to farms located in specific states: AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, or VA. Funding priorities are given to proposals demonstrating a high expected impact on farm viability and sustainability, strong project feasibility, and comprehensive planning, including a clear plan, detailed budget, timeline, and all necessary supporting documentation. RAFI also prioritizes farmers who derive a significant portion of their household income from farm operations, individuals with financial need, or those located in economically disadvantaged areas. Projects that tangibly benefit the surrounding community and farms utilizing agroecological and/or ancestral farming practices are also highly favored, reflecting RAFI's strategic priorities for holistic agricultural development and community engagement. The expected outcomes of the Infrastructure Grant Program include increased farm viability and sustainability for historically underserved farmers, the establishment of new and diversified markets for local products, and the preservation of valuable agricultural traditions. Through these grants, RAFI aims to support projects that lead to concrete improvements in farm infrastructure, expanded income streams for farmers, and a stronger connection between agricultural practices and community well-being. By focusing on these outcomes, RAFI reinforces its theory of change, which posits that targeted financial support and capacity building for underserved farmers will lead to a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable agricultural landscape.

This grant provides funding to states and territories to develop a coordinated early childhood education system that integrates various programs, including Head Start, to improve access and efficiency for families with children from birth to age five.